Jimi Hendrix – Hear My Train A Comin’ (People, Hell & Angels)

I grew up in the 70′s, and that included a love of all things Hendrix. This new album is full of gems but Hear My Train A Comin’ stands out. The guitar work is simply amazing . I have listened to this more than a few times and with each new listen comes a new discovery.

Like many of the other songs on ‘People, Hell & Angels,’ the track is one that Hendrix fans have heard before in other versions. Hendrix revisited the song several times throughout his career, but never officially released any of those tracks. Perhaps the most well known version is the 1967 solo acoustic rendition that was captured in the 1973 documentary ‘Jimi Hendrix.’ This new take comes from Hendrix’ first-ever sessions with Buddy Miles and Billy Cox, who would go on to form the rhythm section for the ‘Band of Gypsys’ album.

The track features all of the hallmarks of a Hendrix classic, propelled by a strong rhythm guitar track, with the guitarist filling the ambient space between the drums and bass with aggressive chording and trademark trills that are reminiscent of his approach to ‘Hey Joe.’

His conversational vocal style is another Hendrix touchstone, but not surprisingly, it is the guitar solo that is the most important element of the track. The highly-distorted lead track emphasizes the kind of playing Hendrix did best, but with a twist, since he included some totally “outside” scale runs that depart from pure blues for a track that points the way to some of his more unusual work.